Untitled
by Vega Ikari
Summary: Evil vampire Merton, need I say more. (slash warning)
1. Chapter 1: Morsus

Big Wolf on Campus: Fan Fiction: Untitled

Untitled

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Let me repeat I own nothing. The only orginal character here is the bat. Thank you.

Chapter 1: Morsus

Merton kicked the small pebble in front of him and watched in tumble forward into the night's soft darkness. It was about three AM and the lone Goth was walking down the middle of street. Merton often walked down the streets of his small mid-western town late at night. He felt safe in the cold darkness of the lonely night. It was unusual for anyone to feel this way in the eerie silence, especially one who had personally fought all the creepy crawlies the city had to offer, but here in the middle of the night alone he felt invincible.

Though in Merton's head he was never alone there were always things to keep him company. It wasn't that he heard voices, he just couldn't seem to shut down his creative side long enough to find any peace. That was why he had become so accustomed to the silence; there never was any for Merton. Merton came out this night to think, or attempt to in some organized manner. The subject of his endless streams of thoughts was none other than Tommy Dawkins.

Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, god damn Tommy Dawkins. Everything was easy before his paws hit the scene. He hated him right now. He had managed without even trying to upset the entire flow of his miserable life. Merton's life may not have been happy before Tommy Dawkins but it had been easier. Day in and day out, everything was the same lifeless pattern: get up, go to school, get bruised, return home, lock yourself in room, and go to sleep. Simple and most importantly it was a numb way of life. No reason to fell any of those overwhelming teenaged emotions. Until the great and mighty Tommy Dawkins called on his assistance. Merton was glad at first when Tommy appeared and magically became his friend, it had been years since he remembered being this close to anyone, but there inlay the problem.

Merton wasn't gay; he sure as hell wasn't straight either. He sat comfortable in the middle waiting for true love. Merton was more a romantic than he was willing to admit. He had always believed there would only be one true love of his life, no where in his mind did it say it had to be male or female. He never understood how people could become one way or the other. Shaking his head Merton tried to pull his thoughts into one large continuum, but was failing. Sitting on the curb in front of an unknown house, Merton tried to concentrate souly on the problem at hand: he may or he may not be in love with Tommy Dawkins.

He exhaled, wondering it the breath would take away all his problems with it, no such luck. The problem was not so much in the emotion, but merely the uncertainty of it. If his emotions were serious he would have to tell his friend in order to merely deal with the weight they carried. If he felt this strongly it would be worth the risk, though he doubted Tommy would hold it against him. There was however the worry that this may all be some kind of temporary infatuation, in which case he wanted to keep it to himself until it passed. It would make sense he decided. Tommy was the first person to so much as give him a second look in he didn't know how many years. Tommy was kind, caring, touchy-feely kind of guy, not to mention very attractive. It could very well be a long lasting crush. He had had them before just not on people he talked to everyday. Unrequited love?' was easier to deal with when you didn't talk to the person everyday during almost all your free time.

Merton rested his face in, rubbing his sore eyes. He could ignore the subject longer if he hadn't recently started acting like love stricken teenaged girl. Laughing overly at his jokes, flirting without realizing, all around not being himself, a high crime as far as Merton was concerned. Whenever a situation or person made Merton act differently than he would normally, Merton immediately had to find the how, why, and such. That's when he discovered that he may or may not have feelings for one werewolf. Whether or not this was a good discovery is still being debated by his underwear gnomes. The problem was now that he knew he had feelings his first impulse was to act upon them. On conscience level he had managed to keep this under wraps; on the sub-conscience level he was screw or wanted to be depending on how you look at it. Lucky for Merton however, Tommy was just about as dense as a three foot thick steel wall with quicksand and sharks on the other side. Needless to say, not much got through.

Merton rose back up to his feet and wondered where Tommy was. It was a full moon that night; he was probably hiding out in the woods with a bucket of chicken. Merton smiled despite himself, the idea suddenly striking him as funny. Merton walked towards the moon back to his house. Merton lost himself in his thoughts as he started off in the right direction.

Merton was a few blocks away when a screeching sound pulled him away from silent contemplation. Searching for the course of the sound Merton found a bat lying in the street. It small body was marred with a long cut along its side. The cut didn't seem deep to Merton, not that he really could say for sure. The small thing continued to cry as Merton tried to sooth the small creature without getting close. The first thing you learn as a kid in the mid-west is about rabies. Never trust an animal that should be where it is. Merton considered this. The poor thing didn't seem to have any of the signs he had always been told about. The cut seemed to be the only reason this bat wasn't with the others. Merton leaned in closer fear of infection depleting. The cut seemed odd. It was more exact then he had been expecting. It looked as though it had been made by a knife then by any accident he could imagine. He wouldn't be surprise if some of the cities teenagers had gotten a laugh of torturing the poor beast. Feeling a sudden sympathy for the creature, Merton took a piece of cloth out of coat and wrapped the bat trying to stop the blood flow. Pulling his sleeves over his hands, Merton picked up the creature and continued on his way home.

The bat lied calmly in Merton's hands until he began his final approach on his house. It had been you quite Merton had thought it had died, but as soon as Merton laid a foot on his steps to the basement the small creature began to twist and turn as though it had been caught a healthy. With his voice and his bare hands, Merton tried to clam back the bat worried it would make its wounds worse. The small animal would have no of it, Merton felt his grasp being lost on the small creature. Merton let go at the pain in his hand. The bat fell to the ground and turned into dust. Merton saw none of this of course he was too busy looking over the bite on his hand. The animal had caught him on the side of the hand. Red blood seeped out of the two small holes. Cursing Merton looked for the bat on the ground in the dark. Deciding it was long gone, Merton went into his house looking for the Band-Aids.

Merton had learned long ago the basics of first aid. Running around with a werewolf saving the world from endless destruction gave one more cuts and bruise than your average high school student. The newly disinfected Merton sat down to watch a movie. Sticking in Scream, Merton rubbed his hand gingerly. The bite had begun to itch badly also directly after being bitten. Merton tried not to think about it as he watched the movie. He was counting on the bloody deaths of popular teens to pick him up. Merton began to dose began to dose before Barrymore bit it.

Drifting in and out of sleep, Merton had dreams well more like delusions. Some were of Tommy, some were about the bat. In the dream the bat became a vampire and killed Merton, only it was Merton who was the bat. Merton woke again near the end of the movie. Randy had just been shot. Randy, yeah he felt a lot like that guy. Always running after the person he just can't have. A poor geek disregarded by his whole school, maybe Merton should get a job at the video store.

Shaking his head, Merton tried to make scene of his dreams. The Tommy's were pretty obvious in their meanings, but the bat had startled him, though he really didn't know why. Yawning, Merton scratched his hand without thinking. It had only gotten worse. The flesh around the band aide had become a paler than pale. The blue veins in his hand had become more visible, weaving a pattern of pale blue against white. Merton knew all there was to about monstrology,' but at this moment he would have traded it for the knowledge of the proper care of a first stage rabies bite. From what little he knew, he probably needed to go to hospital. It was now nearing four-thirty. Merton weighed the option of driving to the hospital. Merton dismissed this when a sudden wave a dizziness past through his body. He didn't want to pass out at the wheel and have the situation turn out worse than it already currently was. Merton decided to wait till morning. He didn't want to wake his parents over a simple bite, plus it would only be a few hours till they would wake up. Finding himself sudden exhausted, Merton set his alarm and passed out on his bed.

Merton's oblivion was broken by a strange pressure on his shoulders. Merton felt like he was underwater. Everything around him felt dulled and far away. He tried to return to the darkness only to find it impossible, the pressure had become shaking. Determined to be left alone, Merton decided to find the cause of all his discomfort. Pushing up through the dark water, Merton started to hear a voice. He felt himself sitting up though he had no idea why. Merton struggled back to conscience to find himself being held by Tommy Dawkins. Merton wonder if this was all just a dream when Tommy spoke.

You're awake? Tommy looked down at Merton, was that concern in his eyes? Merton tried to follow but everything still felt so far away. When I got here your alarm clock was still going off. I turned it off and figured I wake you. I never knew you were such a deep sleeper; I've been shaking you for 20 minutes. We're nearly a half-hour late for school already, Merton nodded like her understood. Merton had no idea what was going on however everything still felt so fuzzy, even his body felt numb. Tommy picked up on his friend's lethargic state. Tommy pushed him back to look him over. Merton was a ghost of a human. His pale skin looked porcelain white. Some of his veins could be seen through his skin and his lips had taken a dark blue color. Are you sick, man? Your lips are blue and well you're pale, well paler than normal, Merton only nodded his head again. He only wished to go back to sleep again, back to the peaceful darkness, but Tommy wouldn't leave him be. I think we need to get you the hospital. When did you start to fell this way? Merton murmured a short response that even Tommy's enhanced hearing could decipher. What, man?

The bat, after the bat last night, Merton let his head fall to Tommy's chest. The longer he stayed awake the worst he felt. His body felt like it was freezing but he could fell the sweat fall down his face. His body started to shake uncontrollably. Tommy pulled him closer trying to control his shaking. Tommy almost pushed him back when he felt his ice-cold skin against his body, but instead pulled Merton closer trying to warm him. Merton relaxed. He suddenly felt like he was going to die. At least, in the arms of Tommy Dawkins didn't seem like the worst way to go.

What bat Merton?

The bat last night, Merton said raising his hand slightly off the bed and letting it fall again. Tommy grabbed Merton's fallen hand as his friend pushed into his chest. The Goth suddenly found the sound of his friend's heartbeat the most incredible thing he had ever heard. The quickening thump seemed to resonate through his friend's and his own body. It had never occurred to Merton before how that simple beat kept his friend alive, but right now it seemed the only thing to matter in the universe. Especially the fact of how easily that small little beat could be ended. It seemed to sooth all the pain he felt as his eyelids began to fall. Against his friend's muffled pleas and arguments, Merton fell back into his safe oblivion listening to that beat.


	2. Chapter 2: Mors mortis

Big Wolf on Campus: Fan Fiction: Untitled

Untitled

Dislcaimer: You wanna hear it once more, I own nothing.

Chapter 2: Mors mortis

Tommy shifted once more in his uncomfortable waiting room chair. He had been occupying the same spot for the last six hours. Tommy had driven the Hearse with Merton laid out in the back to the hospital. One look at Merton and the doctors had immediately wheeled him off, so it had been six hours since Tommy had last seen or heard any news about his friend. Tommy fidgeted in his chair; the worst part was the not knowing. Looking at the clock for the ump-tenth time, Tommy thought about what they would be doing in school right now if now of this had happened. It was around 2:30, they would be in their last class of the day. They would be in physics. If everything was normal, they would be sitting next to each other. Merton would be explaining yet another concept that Tommy just didn't get probably with over exaggerated hand moments, but nothing was normal. Everything was very wrong.

His best friend was lying in a hospital attached to machines, and Tommy was forced to remain in the lobby. At the very least Merton wasn't alone. The Goth's parents had joined them some hours back. They were very clam when they first arrived. Tommy was almost upset that they weren't more worried about their son, but he had heard the call. The nurse had calmly said that their son had had an infection from a bat bite, and might be in the first stage of rabies.

If Tommy hadn't seen Merton he wouldn't have thought much of it either. His parents had been shown to Merton's room. Tommy had to remain in the lobby, because the hospital was only allowing immediate family in. Merton's parents had never returned. They weren't supposed to stay in there for long, but Tommy had heard the nurses talk about how they had refused to leave after seeing their son. Tommy could guess that his friend must have gotten worst.

Tommy sighed and turned in his chair again. He had called his parents a few hours ago. His mother had been furious. The school had called her first letting her know that Tommy had skipped all his morning class and was no where to be found. She quickly forgave him when she had heard the entire story. Merton had yet to wake up or even show signs of improvement. His mom had offered to come and pick him up but Tommy had told her to wait until she was done with work. He didn't want to leave with everything like this.

Tommy felt a protective tendency when it came to Merton. Even though Merton didn't normally want his help in day to day things, it didn't mean that didn't fell the need to jump in between him and T'N'T. It was even more so when Tommy was wolfed-out. He would never let anything happen to Merton. He needed him. OK, true it sounded girly, but Tommy didn't think he could make it through things without Merton anymore. He couldn't even seem to remember how he had done everything before Merton. True it was a little co-dependant, but it had happened that why. First it had just been with the werewolf stuff and the day to day of fighting evil and searching for wolfy-cures, but then they became friends.

Tommy had become a lot closer to Merton than he had to his other friends and a lot faster than he was use to. Merton soon fell into a different category. With his jock friends, all Tommy could talk about were sports, girls, and other per-ordained manly topics. With Merton, Tommy could say or do anything and he knew he wouldn't be judged or laughed at. Tommy had even cried a few times and Merton had reacted in an almost comforting manor. The younger boy was the first person since his mom that could really put him at ease, how weird was that?

Sometimes it almost seemed like they were dating without kissing or any of that stuff, yeah it was defiantly weird, but like most things surrounding Merton, it was weird in a good way. Tommy needed a confidant right now. How was he supposed to deal with this without Merton?

This entire situation didn't sit well with the wolf side of Tommy either. First, it felt like it had failed Merton. Even though Tommy knew there was no way to protect someone from an infection, he still felt like he should have been there, that he could have stopped all of this from happening. They fought monsters every week, and Merton had yet to break a bone with Tommy watching over him. One night he leaves him alone and simple bite puts his friend in the hospital. The worst part was, of course, this made him realize that there would always be things that even a werewolf couldn't save Merton from. How was he planning to fight an infection with claws and super-strength?

The wolf also seemed to be telling Tommy something else. That something greater was afoot. When he had been on the bed with Merton it had given a sense of the need to flee, to get far away. In the pit of his stomach, he had felt a fear so intense he couldn't understand what had caused it. He had tried to rationalize that it was fear for his friend, but he knew better, it had been a fear of his friend.

Shaking his head, he moved over to the snack machine. He had long since run out of money, but not before he had emptied the machine of all its beef-jerky. Sighing he rested his head on the plastic window. The situation was getting to him, if he wasn't careful he going to wolf-out soon. Pushing his face into the glass, Tommy tried to remember one of Merton's claming exercises, only to be reminded of Merton and the current situation.

Tommy pulled back to see Merton's parents in the reflection of the clear plastic. They walked down the hall silently side by side. Merton's father had his arm around his wife, and she cried silently into her husband shoulder. Tommy realized he didn't seem to be hearing anything. Tears could also be seen in Merton's father's eyes. Tommy felt himself begin to shake. He wasn't going to fall over or pass-out, he was just quivering for no reason. Willing his body to move, Tommy walked over to his friend' parents. Over their shoulders he could see a body being wheeled out of Merton's room with a white sheet over it. Tommy realized he had known before he had seen his parents. He been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to fell his friend's passing, but a little part of his sub-conscience had now from the moment he entered the Lair that his friend was going to die. Wolf's intuition, he didn't have anyone to ask about it now.

Tommy turned as he felt a hand his shoulder. It was Merton's father offering him a ride home. Just go home, that was it. Nothing else to mark his friend's death except to just go back to his house, it didn't seem right. Shaking his head no, Tommy said good-bye to Merton's parents and went back to his chair in the lobby. He felt his wolf teeth begin to form in his mouth. "Well, it seems grief wolf's me out too," he thought grimly. Tommy got up and left the hospital unceremoniously, not wanting to draw attention to him.

Tommy made it to the woods just as he lost totally control and wolfed-out. Trying to choose a destination, but unable to think of any Tommy just ran. His thoughts were jumbled and emotions even more so. He normally ran to think, to straighten out a situation, or to concentrate on how to make things right again. Tonight was different. Tommy couldn't think or feel; the world seemed numb to him. There was no way to make anything better. Why should he even try? So, unable to do anything else, Tommy just ran.

The sun fell from the sky, and Tommy fell to the ground in the dark night. It wasn't that he couldn't see. He just couldn't concentrate. Maybe this was why Merton always tripped; Merton's mind always seemed to be somewhere other than where he was. Tommy's mind was with Merton. Replaying the advents of the day and how they could have been different. What would have happen if he hadn't been bitten? What would have happened if Tommy had gotten him to the hospital sooner? What if Tommy had stayed in with Merton last night? A hundred different scenarios played in Tommy's mind with Tommy secretly hoping that when he left the woods one of them would become a reality, and this would become a bad dream.

Tommy knew better, even though he had yet to admit to himself. His best friend, the person he felt the closest to, was now dead. There was nothing left of his friend except a body, a cold, lifeless body. For the first time that night, the numbness passed. The jock felt all the emotions hit him like a punch in the stomach. He curled into the dirt and started to cry. The wolf receded away at his anguish. Tommy remained there, in the dirt, crying until the emotion and physical exhaustion made him fall into a troubled sleep.

*****

Tommy woke some time later. He looked at the moon, his wolf instinct normally gave him a pretty good idea what time it was by the placement of the floating orb. Judging by it's height in the sky, it was around 1 AM. Tommy knew his parents were panicking by this point; he wished he cared. Tommy stood up and brushed the dirt off of his clothes. He had one other place to go first.

Tommy started to run in a new direction, when he heard something in the forest. He paused and looked around; nothing. He considered shouting out into the woods for a moment but dismissed the sound for his imagination and continued on his way. After Tommy left a black clad figure stepped out from behind the trees. The figure followed the werewolf at speeds even Tommy couldn't imagine, leaving nothing but a trail of disturbed leafs.

*****

Tommy made it to his destination without even sensing his follower; his mind was else where again. Tommy himself was in front, or the back of to normal visitors, of the Dingle residence. Everyone would be asleep, or at least Tommy hoped they would be. Merton had showed Tommy long ago how to open his locked door in case he ever needed anything or wanted help in the middle of the night. The faulty lock let Tommy into Merton's bedroom. There was no need to turn on the lights. While his night vision wasn't perfect, it was still better than a normal person's

Tommy half-knew why he had come here. It seemed logical enough, but somewhere the true meaning, the true weight of coming here felt lost somehow. Maybe it was to prove that Merton was still here. How could someone be dead if their dirty laundry was still in the hamper? Merton couldn't be dead. Tommy was surrounded by him; his posessions, his scent, everything that was Merton was here, except, of course, Merton himself.

Tommy picked a shirt off the back of computer chair. Merton always picked out his clothes in an organized fashion. He was secretly obsessive about whether or not his black matched. Tommy sniffed the shirt and immediately felt guilty. It was a very wolf thing to do, but the human had other comments about it. He could tell it had been worn. Its smell was different than that coming from the clean clothes piled in the corner. It was just Merton's smell, his cologne, his sweat.

Tommy fell back down to the floor. He felt exhausted again, the day had simply been too much to handle. The jock had almost begun to fall asleep in the middle of the bedroom when heard a sound up stairs. It was unclear murmuring, but Tommy got the picture when he heard footsteps on the stairs leading to the basement. Tommy shot straight-up now. Not wanting to be caught, Tommy fled faster than most could. He was far down the street before anyone had turned the doorknob. The only one who had seen him was the figure resting silently in the tree behind the house. They shook their head.

"It's too soon," the figure said to the dark night and was gone in a flash. Tommy had wolfed-out once again and ran the rest of the way home. Tommy was on his front steps when he noticed he still had Merton's shirt in his hand.

To be continued .....


	3. Chapter 3: Resurrectio

Chapter 3: Resurrectio

Chapter 3: Resurrectio

Disclaimer: Same rules apply

Merton woke up in steps once again. First he felt the cold steal against his back. Second was the stench of rotting human flesh. The sound of footsteps far away, chatter from down the hall, and stale gabber about the latest news all sounded so close to him. He opened his dark eyes and rolled his head over to look at his surroundings.

It was pitch black in the small box, yet Merton could see perfectly in his enclosed surroundings. At first it reminded him of the time he had been buried alive, but this coffin was metal. Suddenly he realized he must be in a freezer of the hospital morgue; it was the only thing that could explain the ice crystals forming in his black hair. Not aware enough to be bothered by this fact. Merton kicked at the small door by his feet. He sent the door flying off its hinges, shimmied out of the small prison and dropped to the floor.

The place was pitch black, yet once again Merton saw as well as if it had been a bright sunny day. Heading towards an exit, he heard a small flicking sound with each step. Looking for the source of the sound, Merton spied a piece of paper attached to his toe. Bending down he ripped the string off of his big toe and read the piece of paper.

Name: Dingle, Merton J.  
Birth: July 17th 1983  
Death: November 2nd, 2001

Merton's eyebrows raised as the reality of the situation occurred to him.

"I'm dead," the words felt natural on his lips, yet somehow incorrect. Putting his hand to his neck, Merton felt for his pulse and found nothing. He quickly discovered that if he didn't think about it he didn't breathe, more importantly he didn't seem to need to. Merton wasn't sure whether to be excited or panicked about his current state. Part of him felt powerful and the other felt scared and confused. Either way they were both hungry. Grabbing a sheet off a corpse, Merton covered his naked body wrapping the sheet around himself like a toga.

The Goth pushed against the sterile silver doors until they broke forward under his power. He noticed that the chain on the door had been broken. Wondering idly if had done it, Merton move towards the voices he had heard earlier. He walked down the long corridor until he came to a plexiglass booth. Tapping on the glass, he pulled the two men away from their idiotic conversation on football. He wonder for a second where Tommy was as the two men came rushing out of the booth.

"What are you doing down here?" the first to arrive asked. He had raised his gun pointing it at Merton. Merton didn't seem to notice. He no longer feared getting shot. He was currently more concerned with the two men's heartbeats that seemed to echo in the tiny hall. He remembered Tommy once more; then went back to the two men.

"I was locked in the rooms with all those bodies," Merton replied trying to buy some time. He wasn't sure what is next move would be but he doubted the two men would like it much. Merton bounced from foot to foot as the man with the white hair contemplated what he just said.

"What we were you doing in there? Nothing but bodies, don't you know where you are boy?"

"Nope, I just woke up from my nap with this on my foot," Merton handed over the toe tag. The man looked over the tag while the other looked over Merton. Even Merton himself would admit he must look like a maniac. Not being able to stand still, he started to hum trying to drown out the beats. If he claimed he had just been dead ten-seconds ago, next stop would be the loony bin. The beats became louder as the second man was sent into the office to call a doctor, whether it was a psychologist or a medical doctor was anyone's guess.

Merton started to black out as the man got closer. Something more animal, more deadly was rising to the surface as the other man put his hand his shoulder. Merton could have stopped it but saw no reason too. The man continued talking as Merton leaned forward and with speed and instinct he hadn't had before, bit into the old man's neck. A rush of blood spilled across Merton's lips, into his mouth. The pale boy couldn't remember ever tasting anything so sweet, so delectable as what he was drinking from this old man. The heartbeat he heard before seemed to make his come to life again and work in rhythm. As the old man's beat faded, the blood became sour and the nectar that was once in the old man's neck came to an end. Dropping the body like a juice box, Merton trained his eyes on the other man. The man had a look of pure horror on his face.

Merton touched his hand to his face and ran his tongue over his teeth. Fangs now hung down next to his two canines and his face was bumpy all over. Merton wondered what he looked like but gave up trying to catch his reflection. During Merton's musings, the younger security guard locked the reinforced steel door and started dialing 911.

The guard shook while Merton listened to the beginning of his call. Deciding that it needed to end, he kicked the door to the other side of the room. Smiling, he watched the man cowering in fear. This kill was quicker and stronger; Merton was beginning to understand his new nature. The confusion that was present with the first kill had melted away. He hung up the phone, and began to undress the younger man. They were about the same size and soon enough the original owner would be nude in a silver box, of course he wouldn't be getting backup. Pulling on the full uniform and taking the guns, Merton headed for the elevators at the end of the hall. Wiping the blood from his mouth, Merton began to wonder where he was going to go now. He wondered where Tommy was. Maybe he should find him.

Merton headed into the cold night air, unaffected by its chill, walking with a purpose. A self-conscience hand made a way up to his face to find it smooth and soft. He looked human again.

The Goth was long gone from the scene when the police arrived. He wasn't very worried about them catching him. All they would find would be the fingerprints of a dead man and a body missing. Even if they did catch up he doubted they would be able to stop him. Walking towards his goal, Merton began to consider the details of the situation. Did he have a soul? Were all the legends about crosses and stakes true? Did he have any other powers than the strength? Was he stronger than Tommy now?

Merton bit his lip trying to think of the answers to all these questions. He momentary thought he must be like Corey Feldman, but immediately doubted it. From what he had felt of his transformation, his face had only become lumpy like on Buffy not bat like. He decided that he would have to test out the crosses and holy water for himself. Hopefully he wouldn't have to find out whether or not the

stake thing worked out anytime soon. There were many things to consider and many things that wouldn't be worth finding out. Sighing Merton continued down the empty street suddenly feeling a ping in his chest. It had felt nothing like the hunger but it as well demanded attention. He felt as though someone was watching him, but there was no heartbeat to go with it. The Goth suddenly felt the intense need to fight or flee. Logic was against both of them considering there was no enemy to fight or flee from.

That's when Merton heard footsteps behind him. He turned on his heel to find another man about four feet away. He was like nothing the youth could remember seeing. The man was about 6'2'', spiky white-blond hair, and strong physic, with a supernatural air about him. He was almost entirely in black except for the blood red shirt half-visible through his black leather coat. Merton unabashedly scanned the other with his eyes; embarrassment seemed to be thing of the living. The youth suddenly became aware of something else he'd been craving, probably the reason he had been so damn bent on finding Tommy.

As if he was reading his mind, the other smiled and nodded starting to step closer to the day-old vampire. The tall man stepped right up next to Merton. If he had still been human his first impulse would have been to move away, but his new nature felt no discomfort with this closeness. Merton knew the man's crystal blue eyes were raking his face, his form, just as Merton had done a few seconds ago. It would have seemed to an outsider some bizarre ritual, but neither party questioned what they were doing. The man put his hands on Merton's chin, lifting his face to stare into his eyes. Staring into their depths, Merton became enchanted by the light blue orbs. They were almost a beautiful as Tommy's...almost.

"You're coming with me," the blonde said forcefully. The man moved his thumb over Merton's pale check and onto his soft lips. Without breaking the gaze, Merton let the thumb dip into his mouth. He sucked gently, feeling an unnatural flush on his face and his chest start to raise and fall on its own accord. The blonde man smiled in response, he hadn't thought it would be this easy.

The young vampire suddenly became aware of how close he was to this man as the other moved to kiss him. It was slow and steady with a dominating force coming from the stranger. Merton relaxed and allowed the blond to control the situation. Merton melted into the other man until something or someone flicked in the back of his mind, Tommy, god damn, Dawkins. Thoughts of his previous target broke the spell the man had put on him. Merton cocked his head away from the other and looked him in the eyes. Before the other could fell the charge in his gaze, Merton picked him up like a rag doll and threw him into a nearby building.

Merton stood and watched the other fall to the ground unmoving after making a large dent in the brick building. He turned on his heel and started to walk back to Tommy's house. The vampire had made it all of two steps when his head snapped back hard. A hand was almost pulling out his black hair, and there was a rigid breath on the back of his neck. The man's other arm snaked around the Goth's thin waist pulling them close again.

"Let me go," Merton felt a growl come out with his words. He tried to sound forceful, but with the pressure on his ribs it came out breathy. The other picked up on it and pressed harder. A loud crack rang through the night, and he knew his ribs were broken. Oddly enough, he was only aware of the broken rib poking into his unused lungs. Merton no longer felt pain, but this was a mute point. Remembering a gym self defense course, the black-haired youth elbowed his attacker in the stomach and stomped on his toe. True, this wasn't a great fighting tactic but for Merton it was the best in his past memory. The other felt no pain either, but the force of Merton's blow to his stomach was enough to push him back. He thought of running but doubted he would get too far; instead he turned to face his opponent again hoping that somehow he could fight off the other.

The second vampire had recovered quickly, already on his feet as if nothing had happened. His eyes were ablaze while the rest of him appeared nonchalant. It was pretty obvious this guy wasn't accustomed to not getting what he wanted, and when he wanted it. Merton prepared himself for a blow out of habit but the other made no move.

"Do you honestly think all this will help you, childe? If you fight me and win, where will you go?" the man pointed behind Merton. The sky was turning a pale pink behind the black haired man. It was later than he had though. "The sunrise is upon us."

"Why do you call me a child? I'm not a child."

"You are my childe. I made you. You belong to me."

"I don't belong to anyone."

"I thought you'd feel that way," the other sized up Merton again. The blonde knew that he couldn't leave without the other. The youth had absorbed all of Li's powers, there was no question. The elder knew there would be no chance of controlling of the other. The blonde needed to change tactics. "You should consider this offer differently. You need me. I know what you are, can you claim as much? You have great power let me teach you."

Merton visibly hesitated. There weren't many options to be had. His knowledge was large yet much of it was questionable, really anything was possible. Merton still wanted to find Tommy but his vampire eyes were already aware of the disappearing night. Still he was fairly sure he couldn't trust the other. He wanted something, well something more than he had shown interest in before. This was all useless considerations really; there were only two options to go with: be safe from the rising ball of fire or take his chances of having a very short immortality. Making his decision, even though he didn't like it, Merton shook all his other thoughts away.

"Alright, I'll follow you, but only for the day."

"I wouldn't expect more," the other smiled. He had no intentions of seeing the other leave him permanently until the end of his afterlife, but the young one didn't need to know that just yet. "This way," the blond man grabbed Merton arm and lead him to the nearest man hole. Ripping it open like a bottle cap, he motioned for Merton to go down. The youth jumped and the other followed replacing the cover as he fell into the sewers just as a new day dawned in Pleasantville.


	4. Chapter 4: Monitio

Untitled

Dislcaimer: Not mine, oh come on, you knew that.

Chapter 4: Monitio

Bright colors flicked back and forth across Tommy's face in the otherwise consuming darkness. The young werewolf was alone except for the foreign voices coming from the TV. They made hollow echoes in the heavy silence of the night. The small box seemed more alive than its viewer did. Tommy had returned home after going to Merton's. He had not moved from his position in front of the TV since he had found his way there. His hands lay unmoving, still clenching the shirt and so Tommy had been for nearly three hours.

When Tommy had first returned, his parents had been waiting for him. Neither had yell at him for his late return or for not calling. Both, with clam eyes, tried to comfort him unsure of what to say. They both knew that nothing they could say would make their son feel better. They wore the faces of soldiers who knew they wouldn't win.

His parent's fought their battle well, but after thirty minutes of clichés and self-help sayings, the jock insisted his parents go to bed. There was nothing they could do and nothing that he wanted to say. Exhausted, they agreed easily and left faster than Tommy thought they would. The werewolf wasn't sure if he was please with the solitude or disturbed. He felt abandoned and yet comforted by his own company. His long lost tears started to flow after his parent's departure. Part of him wanted his mother to make better; the other didn't want her to see him cry. The silent sobs had given away to his current cationic state, watching TV with no real thoughts, just numbness of body and mind. Tommy never thought he would enjoy feeling nothing.

There was no change as the infomercials gave way to the early morning news. It had to be around five A.M. At this time of year, it was still dark this early in the morning. Farm reports and local news passed without regard. Tommy felt himself starting to fall asleep when a woman on the screen appeared before the morgue.

"Tonight, at Saint Mercy Hospital, the most unfortunate occurrence has taken place. Two night security guards were killed while on duty. It seems that both were brutally murdered, beaten before hand with the killing blow being dealt by a sharp object. The two victims were badly bruised and had several fractions in a struggle with their murder. It does not appear that any weapons were used during the initial fight, but when the victims were killed it was done with what the police describe as an object two sharp points.

"Oddly, both victims were found with little to no blood left in their bodies and not enough found on the scene to account for the loss. This has leaded the police to believe that a satanic ritual might be the motive behind these murders. The police also believe that the location of the morgue might have had special meanings to the killers. No further details had been released. The identity of the victims will be released to the press tomorrow at noon. This is truly a grim day here in the quiet town Pleasantville. Back to you, Sally."

The only light in the room was extinguished with a buzz as Tommy ran out the door. Bats, morgues, people being killed with two pronged sharp objects; it didn't take Merton to figure out what was going on. Ideas of revenge and justice ran through Tommy's mind. The jock grabbed his jacket as he ran out the back door. By the time he was on his back step he was wolfed out. He began to run he a flash appeared in his way. The werewolf reacted immediately trying to avoid colliding with the blur. Tommy was knocked off his feet from stopping so fast. He looked up to see a tall blond woman looking down at him. She must have been the blur.

"You're Tommy Dawkins?" Her voice had a cool tone. Her pale face looked the same as her voice, lacking emotion. Her skin was as white as the white-beater she wore. She held a staff taller than herself. The werewolf raised to his feet prepared for a fight. "What if I am?" She was unaffected by the challenge. She stood tall with one hand behind her back the other gripping her staff steady. The woman looked completely in control; Tommy quickly decided intimidation was not the way to go here.

"I am Atrea. I have no wish to fight you, but if we ever do face each other in battle, I assure you, I would win," Tommy was too tired to be insulted. He looked to each side of her and wondered if there was a way out. Atrea gave him a look of teacher who had a student who wasn't paying attention. The werewolf conceded. This would go faster if he just listened.

"Fine. What do you want?"

"Your friend died today, yes?"

"Yes," Tommy felt his throat choke. Afraid he was revealing too much, the werewolf looked over the girl who remained unnoticing or unmoved by his pain.

"He is a vampire now. From what I am told, you have fought other like us before. I fear this will lead you into believing you know what you are fighting. You have no idea. We are far stronger than the other breeds of vampire you have fought before. We are known as Nahasi-Cantan. We are a breed that is almost impossible to kill. We possess many skills without developing them. Our creators pass them down. Your friend will be far stronger than you remember, stronger than you perhaps. His soul will not be as you remember it; he will merely be an imprint of his former self," Tommy looked at her. It wasn't normal for the bad guy to come to you a let you what's going on.

"Why are you telling me all this?" "He will come looking for you first. That which was most important in the moral life carries on to the immortal life," Tommy couldn't hide the confusion on his face. What did she mean most important?

"You will find out the meaning of my words later," Tommy jumped. "You can read my mind?"

"Yes, but I only needed to see your face, Tommy blushed he didn't think he had been that obvious, but he wasn't himself. I will assist you all I can when you go face him, but if what I am told is true we will not be enough to kill him if that is want we must do" "If Merton is still alive, I'm not going off with you to kill him," Tommy started pass the woman, and, to his surprise, she let him pass.

"I doubt you would be so lenient if you had seen what he did to those men," Tommy stopped in his tracks. Vampires had occurred to him back in the house. Merton becoming one and killing those men did not. He spun back around to see the woman facing him. Her expression changed to one a little softer than the grimace she held before. "You have heard of their death," it should have been a question, but mind readers don't need to ask them.

"You're lying."

"For a time after the transformation one is a beast, an uncaring animal. They are given a chance to be like me or remain as they are. That is why I came to you; we believe you can convince him to our side."

"Then why were you talking about killing him?"

"If he does not join us, I fear that killing him would be the only moral action. He now controls the powers of my master Lee. He is like a child holding gun. He can kill others and himself with it," the wolf's eyes caught a like pink pushing up over the horizon. "I fear not even my breed can survive the sun. Good-bye wolf," with that she was gone.

**************************

Merton looked over the room once more. It was nothing more than a spacious warehouse on the industrial side of town; it had been long since abandon. He remembered reading something about it back when he was living. A tycoon of the little town still owned them but with such few big businesses in town they served little purpose. The mayor wanted to tare them down, but the owner wouldn't allow it. With nothing valuable inside there would be no really security and the man would not see them destroyed anytime soon. It was a good logical place to build a home away from the sun, but Merton found his new self climbing the walls.

Merton had followed the man here hours ago. Once they had arrived the other had simply left him to sit and wait for his return. Merton had remained more patient than your average vampire, but two hours in a room with only a table, two chairs, a couch, and no form of entertainment was enough to drive any modern man crazy. The vampire released a low growl as he stood and started to pace. He should have found Tommy by now; the only reason he came with this vampire in the first place was to learn about the limitations of his condition. Merton began to mutter to himself as a door slammed shut echoing against the high walls.

"You're the impatient one," the blond had returned. He wore a smirk on his face for the younger.

"You left me here for two hours!" Merton yelled at the other. He immediately regretted showing his lack of control. The other was still paying power games. Merton didn't like the idea he losing. The other seemed to give no notice to Merton's anger.

"You will live forever. Soon hours will pass like seconds. You want to learn about what you are; you will have to be patient," Merton wasn't really into this mind reading thing. The young vampire knew that was what the other was doing. Every once in a while someone else's stray thought would pass through his mind. It was like hearing voices, except they didn't tell you to kill; they just read you their shopping list. With a power like this, he doubted that he was able to hide his displeasure from the other. Merton felt like a child again, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

"There's no reason to be upset. You'll learn how to protect your thoughts soon enough," he was smiling again; Merton really didn't like that. "You are a vampire. You drink blood, I think you already know this," the man started to walk a circle around the other.

"You are very powerful my childe. Man or demon will not easily stop you. What is it you will do with your great power? Take this great Tommy Dawkins for yourself perhaps?


End file.
